The time has come for the Gold Coast SUNS ruck department to put together a season of consistency, according to emerging ruckman Tom Nicholls.

In recent seasons, the ruck stocks at Metricon Stadium have been devastated by injury with the club unable to get any continuity in selection.
 
Nicholls is a member of the injury ravaged ruck division who has struggled to string games together during the early stages of his career. After a sparkling start to 2014, Nicholls’ season was ended in round seven against North Melbourne after he suffered a PCL injury after colliding with Kangaroos big man Todd Goldstein at a centre bounce.
 
Fellow tall Zac Smith has managed just 18 appearances in the last two seasons due to a serious ankle injury last year and a knee reconstruction in 2013. With the SUNS now batting deeper in the tall man department, Nicholls believes him and his teammates must now deliver on their rich potential.
 
“It is time to string a few games together this year and get that consistency on the field. Hopefully myself and Zac and all the other boys can form some great ruck partnerships over the years,” Nicholls told reporters on Thursday.
 
“It’s a bit frustrating, you hear that word talent but that’s nothing until you perform.
 
“We’ve got a lot of talls down there, we’ve got Zac, we’ve got Dan (Gorringe), Peter Wright who we picked up this year and Keegan Brooksby from Adelaide.”
 
The 22-year-old is entering his seventh season at Carrara after being chosen as one of the SUNS inaugural selections in 2008. In four seasons at AFL level, Nicholls has only managed 15 senior appearances due to an array of injuries.
 
The tall Victorian acknowledges that 2015 is a vital season for him personally after showing glimpses of strong form in the last couple of years.
 
“Every years obviously important but this year more so. I’ve been injured the last two seasons so I’ve got to look for that continuity and staying out there on the field and just improving as much as I can and just playing as many games as I can,” he said.
 
“Body’s going really well. I had surgery at the end of last year on my knee to repair my PCL and it’s coming along really well. I’m out there now training full time with the boys and its hot, it’s a good slog out there.”
 
SUNS captain Gary Ablett is nearing a return to full training following a shoulder reconstruction in the middle of last year. The dual Brownlow medalist’s presence has elevated the intensity on the track since the recommencement of training following Christmas.
 
“Knowing Gaz he’s the ultimate professional, so he’s done everything he can to get his shoulder right,” Nicholls said.
 
“Just seeing him out there he’s just he's freakish self, he hasn’t lost any of his touch, great leadership, got great voice around training its been good having him back out there.”